Meaning & Origins

Chinese 熊: this name has at least two origins. The first is from one of the names of the legendary emperor Huang Di (2697–2595 BC), also known as You Xiong; some of his descendants adapted this name as their surname. A second origin traces it to the end of the Shang dynasty in the 12th century BC: at this time there lived in the state of Chu a wise scholar and author, Yu Xiong, who served as teacher to the duke of Zhou, Wen Wang, famous for his virtue. Some of Yu Xiong's descendants adopted their illustrious forebear's given name as their surname.